Helpful Information for First-timers in Japan

Japan’s official language is Japanese. Learning simple Japanese phrases will help you survive. Most of the Japanese can’t understand and can’t speak English, that is why it is important to download any language translator like Google Translate.

We have listed common Japanese phrases here:

• Common Japanese Phrases
• Japanese Vocabularies

As we all know, countries around the world have different timezones. Japan time is GMT+9 all year round like Seoul and Pyongyang and there is no Daylight Saving clock.

Current Date and time of Japan

Japanese Yen (JPY) is the official currency in Japan. It is used all over the country. It comes from 1,000 yen, 2,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 10,000 yen for bills and 1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, and 500 yen for coins. If you run out of yen, no worries because ATMs are available anywhere, even in convenience stores. Most of their ATMs accept Visa and MasterCard.  Also, not all of their ATMs are 24 hours open.

Exchange Rate JPY: Sat, 23 Sep.

Just like Canada, Japan has four seasons namely Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.

Winter is the coldest season, it starts in December and ends until the early of March.

Spring is one of the most awaited seasons in Japan because of its different kinds of Cherry Blossom that bloom during this season. It starts at the end of March and ends until May.

Summer is the exact opposite of Winter, it is the hottest season. Although it is summer, it is also the rainy season in Japan. Summer starts in June and ends in August.

And finally, Autumn, which has comfortable weather like Spring. It is also awaited because of the changing color of the leaves. Its period is from September until November.

If you will ask us, Spring and Autumn seasons are the best time to visit in Japan.

Not all countries are allowed to go to Japan without a visa. There are only 68 countries that do not require a visa to enter Japan. This visa exemption applies to visitors traveling for short-term stays to Japan. Passport holders of these visa exempt countries can stay in Japan for stays of up to 90 days.

If your country or passport that you hold is not on the visa exemption, you should apply for a visa at your respective Embassy of Japan in your country.

For detailed information about Japanese Visa, you may visit this link: https://www.visasjapan.com/visa-exemptions/

Started on January 2021, a 1,000 yen International Tourist Tax is charged to the visitors.

In terms of Wi-Fi, there is no problem as the Airports, Hotels and trains stations have free wifi access. But however, it is recommended that you should have a sim with data or pocket wifi so that you can be connected anywhere you go in Japan. It is a must to have an internet connection because it will help you to survive your visit places to places. If you are wondering what are the differences between a Data Sim or Pocket Wifi, we listed them here: Data Sim or Pocket WiFi

For foreigners that have tourist visas or for just a short visit, you can avail tax-free exemption on most of the goods for that you’ve bought at any tax-free stores. There is also a minimum purchase that you must achieve before getting a tax-exemption. The process of receiving the tax return of the goods may vary from different stores. For detailed information, you may visit Japan.Tax-Free Shop Guides and Steps for Tax-Free Shop (Get the tax back).

Japan has a hotline for visitors that is 24/7 that is operated by the Japan National Tourism Organization which support in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese language. You can call for tourist information or assistance in the case of emergencies.

Hotline: 050-3816-2787
Overseas Hotline: +81-50-3816-2787